Current    |    Lab Alumni    |    Graduate Advisees    |    Lab Photos    |    In Memoriam

Lab Photos

PhD Dissertation Defenses

Rachel Dickerson Defense
April 2024

From left-to-right: Mallika Sarma, Tony Merriman, Rachel Dickerson, T.G. Schurr,

Dissertation: “Genetic History of Polynesian Individuals with Ancestry from Pukapuka, Cook Islands”

Katey Mari Defense
February 2024

From left-to-right: T.G. Schurr, Katey Mari, Morgan Hoke (on screen), Heather Burris, Emily Ng

Dissertation: “Perinatal Iatrogenesis: Exploring Postpartum Life and Health During Long-Term Infant NICU Hospitalization”

Clare Super Defense
November 2024

From left-to-right: T.G. Schurr, Charlene Compher and Morgan Hoke (top), Justin Clapp (bottom), Clare Super

Dissertation: “Nursing in a Disrupted Labor Landscape: Nurses’ Health and Microbiomes Under the Cycle of Precarious Employment and Circadian Disruption”

Volney Friedrich Defense
May 2023

From left-to-right: Marni Falk, T.G. Schurr, Volney Friedrich and Babette Zemel

Dissertation: “Mitochondrial Background in HPV Positive Individuals from the Philadelphia Area”

Alexandra Kralick Defense
April 2023

From left-to-right: Shriya Amin, Volney Friedrich, Raquel Fleskes, T.G, Schurr, Alexandra Kralick, Clare Super, Katey Mari and Caitlin O’Connell.

Dissertation: “Orangutan Osteobiography: Skeletal Morphology and Flanging in Pongo spp.”

Elizabeth Oakley Defense
September 2022

From left-to-right: Theodore Schurr, Elizabeth Oakley, Marge Bruchac, and Megan Kassabaum

Dissertation: “Investigating the Cultural Domains of Science in U.S. Museums: How Museums Sell ‘Science’ and Spark Curiosity”

Aylar Abdolahzedah Defense
August 2022

From left-to-right: Theodore Schurr, Dennis Sandgathe (top), Shannon McPherson (bottom), Aylar Abdolahzedah, Deborah Olszewski.

Dissertation: “Burned Flint: Indirect Evidence of Fire Use for Understanding Neandertal’s Behavioral Variability in Using Fire in Late Pleistocene Europe”

Raquel Fleskes Defense
May 2021

From left-to-right:

Dissertation: “Archaeo-Genomics of 17th and 18th Century Eastern North America: Insights into European Colonization and The African Diaspora”

Matthew Dulik Defense
April 2012

Newly minted Dr. Matthew Dulik and Theodore Schurr, Department of Anthropology, May 2012

Dissertation: “A Molecular Anthropological Study of Altaian Histories Utilizing Population Genetics and Phylogeography”

Leah Lowthorp Defense
May 2013

From left-to-right: T.G. Schurr, Lisa Mitchell, Deborah Thomas, Leah Lowthorp, Mary Hufford and Daniel Ben-Amos.

Dissertation: “Scenarios of Endangered Culture, Shifting Cosmopolitanisms: Kutiyattam and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in Kerala, India”

Krista Latham Defense
June 2008

From left-to-right: Chuck Weitz, Krista Latham, Leonard Greenfield, Joseph Lorenz, Jonathan Friedlaender, T.G. Schurr.

Celebration of the successful defense, Department of Anthropology, Temple University. Photo Credit: Christie Rockwell

Dissertation: “Unexpected NRY Chromosome Variation in Northern Island Melanesia.”

Omer Gokcumen Defense
May 2008

From left-to-right:

Dissertation: 

Graduation Events

Raquel Fleskes PhD Hooding
2024 AABA Meetings

Because of graduating in May 2021 after the deadline for submission her dissertation in the Spring Semester graduation, Raquel did not go through commencement at the University of Pennsylvania that academic year. Offered the opportunity to be “officially” hooded at the 2024 AABA meetings, she went through graduation event held at the end of the conference, with T.G. Schurr doing the honors.

Maira Asif Graduation
May 2024

Maira completed her B.A. at Penn and was an Anthropology major. She completed a senior thesis entitled “Mental Health in the Age of Social Media: The Role of Digital Aesthetics and Displays of Vulnerability in the Experience of Women of Color”

Nayan Shankaran Lab Internship
Summers 2021-24

During his high school studies at The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA, Nayan worked on Genographic Project studies focused on Puerto Rico and Guam. He has now started his first year of college at Stanford University.

Penn Anthropology Undergraduate Graduation
May 2004

From left-to-right: Maggie Cocca, T.G. Schurr, Nisha Mehta

Both Maggie and Nishi worked on the Old Believers study and were co-authors on the paper summarizing the analysis of mtDNA variation in this population: Rubinstein S, Dulik MC, Gokcumen O, Zhadanov SI, Osipova LP, Mehta N, Cocca MF, Gubina M, Posukh O, Schurr TG. 2008. Russian Old Believers: Genetic consequences of their persecution and exile, as shown by mitochondrial DNA evidence. Hum Biol 80(3):203-238.

Conference Participation

AABA Conference – Baltimore, MD
March 2025

Georgia Project Team Members with Their Posters

Left-to-Right: Aram Yardumian, Alexandra Faeth, Shriya Amin, Mia Tomeo, T.G.Schurr

Xiongnu Conference – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
October 2008

Participants Having Dinner at the Ikh Mongol Restaurant

Left-to-Right:

AAPA Meetings – Philadelphia PA
April 2007

Jonathan Friedlaender and T.G. Schurr Comparing Notes

Lab Member Photos & Events

Schurr Christmas Party
December 2019

Penn Biological Anthropology and Archaeology Students. From left-to-right: Seated: Raquel Fleskes, Lizzie Oakley, Alexandra Kralick, Clare Super, Aisha Chugtai, Rachel Dickerson, Katey Mari. Standing: Paul Mitchell, Kevin Burke, Aylar Abdolahzedah.

Photo Credit: T.G. Schurr

Schurr Lab Team
Spring 2012

 Lab members from left-to-right: Seated: Akshay Walia, Miguel Vilar; Standing: Amanda Owings, Jill Gaieski, Meagan Rubel, Haleigh Zillges, Rosa Zedek, Ryan Zahalka, Theodore Schurr. Photo taken at the Ben Franklin sculpture at Locus Walk on the Penn campus.

Schurr Lab Team
Spring 2011

From left-to-right: T.G. Schurr, Matthew Dulik, Ayken Askapuli, Akiva Sanders, Amanda Owings, Rachel Gittelman, Lydia Gau, Halleigh Zillges, Miguel Vilar, Paul Babb. Photo taken in the Chinese Rotunda, Penn Museum.

Genographic Team
Fall 2011

From left-to-right: Akshay Walia, Amanda Owings, Jill Gaieski, Theodore Schurr, Akiva Sanders, and Miguel Vilar. Photo taken in the Mesoamerican Gallery of the Penn Museum.

Schurr Lab Team
Spring 2009

From left-to-right: Front: Lydia Gau, XXXXX; Back: John Lindo, Rachel Gittelman, Amanda Owings, Paul Babb, Annick McIntosh. Photo taken in the Goddard Lab Building.

Schurr Lab Team
Spring 2005

From left-to-right: Seated: Aslihan Sen, Athma Pai, Theodore Schurr; Standing: Sergey Zhadanov, Samara Rubinstein, Matthew Dulik, Omer Gokcumen, Sam XXXXX, and Patricia Bermudez. Photo taken in the Goddard Labs Building.